Elder Colonel L. Whitener was born on July 16, 1928, in Cleveland County North Carolina to Mr. Luther Whitener and Daisy Gertrude Whitener. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by nine brothers, James Houge, Rev. Dan Houge, Willie, Dewitt, Joe, Johnie, Lee Othis, Luther Jr., and Eugene Whitener, six sisters, Alice Worthy, Donnie Pat Low, Creamon Hamrick, Rosie Nance, Vealo Black, and Ida McClain.
He and his wife Rosel McCluney were classmates at the same school and he loved her and she loved him. Rosel graduated in 1951 and they were married in 1952 while he was in the service. He served over 2 years in the Army and 4 years in the Air Force. They were happily married for 72 long years. In this marriage union, they had 3 sons, Carl L. Whitener, who preceded his father’s death, Bishop Samuel Whitener, and Jermaine T. Whitener, and 3 daughters, Joyce Whitener Maybank, Dr. Patricia Ann Whitener, and Rosie Whitener. Colonel Whitener and Rosel also had stillborn twins. Colonel had his own Janitorial service for many years and later became a painting contractor.
He found salvation while attending the Church of God and Christ. Later when Colonel Whitener and his family moved to Baltimore Maryland, he was called by God to the ministry. He was the Pastor of Faith and Deliverance Pentecostal Church. He traveled and did revivals and Evangelism work, where many souls were saved. Years later they sold their home and moved to Prosper Texas and became members of Victory Christian Church in McKinney Texas. When pastor Tom Arden passed, they became members of the First Church Pinnacle of Praise in McKinney Texas, where Dewaine Guyton is pastor and Cynthia Guyton is First Lady.
He leaves to mourn his wife, Evangelist Rosel Whitener; his children, Bishop Samuel Whitener (Alverta) of DeSoto, Texas, Jermaine T. Whitener (Sheila), of Desoto, Texas, Joyce Maybank (Anton) of Aubrey, Texas, Minister Rosie Whitener of Princeton, Texas, Dr. Patricia Ann Harriott (Emmerick), Bishop Harriott of Baltimore, Maryland, and Rita Boone of Baltimore, Maryland. He also leaves to mourn a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and lots of nieces and nephews.
